You Need To Know
by mesk24
Summary: Quinn simply can't take seeing that ring on Rachel's finger.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**AN:** There are probably other stories like this one, but I needed to write it anyway. I hope you enjoy it.

**Please read and review.**

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><p><strong>You Need To Know<strong>

Quinn spotted long brown hair making way through the crowded hallways of McKinley heading to the nearest bathroom. Quinn followed her without letting her know.

Rachel was calmly fixing her hair in the mirror when she saw Quinn coming through the door, checking all the stalls and then going back and locking the door.

Brown eyes watched as the blonde rested her head on the cold surface of the door and without making eye contact said, "It's a beautiful ring you got there."

Rachel knew this was coming but it didn't make her feel any better or ready to have this conversation with Quinn.

"I-I…" She tried to say before hazel eyes bored into her soul.

"Don't!" Quinn said loudly making the brunette shut up and look at her own feet. "I don't understand you Rachel! What do you see in him for crying out loud?" Quinn started pacing in front of Rachel. "And why do you keep coming after me for advice if you don't listen to them?"

Rachel was playing with her fingers as a nervous reaction.

"You know it, and I know it that it's not by chance that you seek me out of all people Rachel. Let's face it, you could go to Kurt or Mercedes who are way closer to you than I am, but still…" Quinn sighed stopping in front of the brunette. "You know I'll not sugarcoat you and you know I care enough about you to tell you the truth."

Rachel looked up and saw the plea behind the words, she saw begging in hazel eyes.

"You saved me from making a huge mistake once Rachel and I'm trying to do the same for you." Quinn's voice came out a bit softer than it had been up to this point.

"But I already agreed to it." Rachel's voice was barely above a whisper. "I don't want to hurt him."

Quinn's anger came back full force. "Goddammit Rachel! You're so frustrating! Do you think he stopped to think about your feelings before he dumped you to go out with Santana and Brittany? Do you believe he was thinking about your best interest every time he failed to stand up for you? And just out of curiosity Rachel, when I was pregnant and Finn still believed he was the father, how did he manage to get a job? That's right, you got it for him! How do you expect to be married to a guy who knows nothing but playing video games?"

Rachel had already thought about that, her guts were telling her to listen to Quinn, to call it all off and yet there was a little annoying voice on the back of her mind telling her she wouldn't get anyone better than Finn.

"Finn's good to me, we'll make it work and he was the first who saw me. Look at me Quinn, I'm not you, I won't do better in New York than I did here."

"He was the first one who saw you Rachel, but he was not the only one! God, I can't believe I'm going to say this, but Puck's right, you're a beautiful Jewish princess and you need to be treated as such! New York is filled with open-minded people who won't fail to see what these Lima-losers weren't capable to. And to tell you the truth Rachel, Finn was the first one who _you _noticed to pay attention to you, but I know he wasn't the first."

Rachel's eyes were shining with unshed tears, _Does she really think that much of me?_ She thought. "What do you mean? Puck only laid eyes on me when he realized you were not leaving Finn."

"I'm not talking about him."

"It couldn't be Jesse, I only met him after I dated Puck."

"I don't mean him either."

"Lord, you're not talking about Jacob Ben Israel, are you?"

"Jacob who?" Quinn shook her head, "No Rachel, it's not him."

"Then who is it, Quinn? I'm not a psychic you know?" Rachel said crossing her arms and huffing.

"Clearly." Quinn laughed for the first time since they started talking. The blonde took a step closer to Rachel, "You need to know that the first person to ever fall in love with you…was me."

Rachel gasped loudly, leaving Quinn slightly amused. "What?" She asked incredulous.

"I fell in love with you at first sight. I didn't know what I feeling 'til the moment I started getting jealous of the way Finn got close to you."

"You accuse him of never standing up for me, but you never did either." Rachel said trying to think rationally while processing everything Quinn had told her. "You were worse! You called me names and drew distorted pornographic pictures of me!"

"Rachel I was so scared of letting my true feelings show because I knew people were going to talk about us and you don't understand what's like to grow up with a father constantly tearing you down and telling you what you should and shouldn't do. I did what I thought would make the feelings go away, I did what I had to do to survive in this vial place, I did what my father taught me to do." Quinn had tears welling up in her eyes, but she betted them away mentally reminding that she had to focus on Rachel, not her past. "Believe me Rachel, if I were a boy, Finn and those other boys would never get the chance to lay an eye on you because I'd woo you as soon as I could. If I were a boy I'd have asked you out on the day we met and I'd introduce you to my parents telling them how unique, talented and beautiful you are."

Rachel tried to find any sign of deception on Quinn's features but all she could find was…love? She didn't know what to say to all of that so she let Quinn continue.

"But finally I've got my ticket out of here Rachel and so do you. I'm not asking you to dump Finn and date me instead – although I'd really love that – what I'm asking of you is patience and a little courage.

"I want to see you happy, it doesn't matter if it's by Finn's side, or with some other person you met on a Broadway stage, or if it's on your own. Just give it time Rachel, grow on your own and take New York by storm! I know you can!"

Rachel surprised Quinn with a hug. The blonde melt into the embrace, getting drunk on the sweet scent of Rachel's hair. Quinn felt when Rachel started shaking with sobs and she just held her until the brunette gently pulled away from her.

"He doesn't believe in me like that, nobody does… Well, except my fathers." Rachel said looking anywhere but Quinn's eye.

"Your fathers are smart people, they know they've raised a star." The blonde smiled.

"Why do you believe in me so much?"

Quinn held both of Rachel's petit hands. "Have you seen yourself? You've beaten all odds Rachel! There's not a single bone in my body that doubts you're gonna make it in New York. But you are right, I need to apologize for making you doubt your potential and your looks. I'm really, really sorry Rachel."

Quinn sighed and moved her hands to Rachel's waist making her flush a little. "If you ever found it in yourself to forgive me, I'd love to spend the rest of my life reminding you of how perfect you are."

Rachel fidgeted a little changing her weight from one foot to another. "I'm not going to marry him," Rachel's voice came out low but determined. "I only said yes because I didn't think I'd get into NYADA. I didn't want to admit that, not even to myself, but it's the truth." Finding Quinn's eyes, Rachel said, "Thank you for being here for me, Quinn."

They both stared into each other eyes making it seem like time had stopped. Rachel felt like she was in a classic movie waiting for the perfect kiss and suddenly she was nervous because Quinn was closing the space between them.

Rachel closed her eyes and waited for it, completely caught up in the moment, forgetting that she still was someone's fiancée.

Quinn was in awe with how stunning Rachel looked in that exact moment, her eyes tightly shut, brows slightly furrowed, brown hair shinning even in the dim light of the bathroom, and then it hit her: they were still in the school's bathroom and Rachel was still wearing Finn's ring.

She kissed the corner of Rachel's mouth, lingering for a couple of seconds as an unspoken promise. Quinn hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, "I don't want our first kiss to be in the school's bathroom, I want it to be exclusively about us and our future, with no doubts on your mind and no ring on your hand. If you think you might want to give us a chance, talk to Finn first and set things straight. I know what's like to be a cheater and I assure you, that's not something you want to know the taste of."

Quinn gave her one last squeeze and let her go. Rachel was stunned, she had forgotten about Finn.

"Take your time Rachel, don't rush into anything. Whenever you're ready just call me up and we'll go out for a cup of coffee, okay?" Quinn said with her hands already on the door handle. Rachel nodded and watched Quinn leave.

Rachel went home and had a serious conversation with her parents. She called Finn and asked him to meet her. She explained to him why she couldn't go through with it. He didn't take it well, saying that he had just lost his last hope and that he wouldn't be able to be with her knowing they were going nowhere. Rachel told him she understood and that he would always have a special place in her heart.

The rest of the school year was kind of awkward between her, Quinn and Finn but they managed and graduation finally came and went. Rachel said goodbye to Lima hoping she would never have to go back, expect to visit her fathers.

New York was everything she dreamed of and more. Rachel wasn't surprised to learn she was the best in her classes, what did surprise her though, was how easily she made new friends.

Whenever Rachel had time to relax at home she would always check on her friends from McKinley. Slowly she realized she craved hearing from Quinn way more than any other person, and when they did talk Rachel's heart would always give her fuzzy feelings.

Quinn was also enjoying every second of her college life, studying her ass off but also going to parties and making new friends, she loved it all. However, nothing made her feel as warm as hearing Rachel's melodic voice over the phone. They would talk for a long while comparing their professors, classmates and subjects.

One day, when Quinn was coming out of one of her classes in the afternoon she heard that unique voice right behind her, "Are you still up for that coffee?" Quinn turned around with the silliest smile on her lips. Rachel looked as beautiful as ever, especially when she was smiling her trademark smile that could light up a room. Quinn couldn't contain herself, she hurried into the brunette's direction hugging and kissing Rachel with every bit of passion that ran through her body.

Time did stop then, fireworks went off and bells rang. The earth was moving faster, almost as quickly as Rachel's heart was beating. That first kiss Rachel would never forget.


End file.
